The Money Puzzle
Unlock your wealth potential with The Money Puzzle. Featuring two power-packed episodes each week packed with smart money-making strategies, from superannuation to investing in shares, plus in-depth analysis of property markets. Get tips from leading experts and practical tools to help build lasting wealth. Submit your questions at themoneypuzzle@theaustralian.com.au.
Episodes
On average, women retire with 25% less superannuation than men, and one in ten have no super account at all. While you might assume this is purely down to career breaks, evidence shows the disparity starts much earlier - with females under 18 already trailing their male peers. What is really driving this, and what steps can women take to supercharge their savings?
Gemma Dale, head of investor behaviour at NAB Trade joins associate ...
Do you speak the language of money? If you - or anyone close to you - cannot understand what the investment market is telling them, there can be a high price to pay.
Investment commentator and Ecstra Foundation chair, Paul Clitheroe joins Associate Editor, James Kirby in this episode.
In today’s show, we cover:
- Financial literacy, why it’s crucial and why Australia is struggling to keep up
- ‘Swim between the f...
As a property investor, you may already know the usual tax breaks for properties, like negative gearing, but did you know there are ways to boost your cash flow and tax deductions?
'Mr Taxman' Dr Adrian Raftery author and tax adviser joins Associate Editor, James Kirby in this episode.
In today’s show we cover:
- The benefits of using a PAYG withholding variation
- Strategies for claiming depreciation
- What’s deductible...
The Federal Budget will be a landmark moment for investors if it all goes through parliament as planned. Investors need to know what happened but also... what might happen next.
Liam Shorte of Sonas Wealth joins Associate Editor James Kirby, in this episode
In today's show, we cover:
- CGT changes and your share portfolio
- A surprise boost for gold investors
- The new attraction of the family home
- Negotiables? Budg...
Property investors are trying to piece together the cumulative effect of the bad news in the Budget.
How much will the combined CGT changes and negative gearing clampdown hit returns? For the everyday investor with the average established investment property the expected internal rate of return is set to plunge from 11 per cent to 8.4 per cent.
Stuart Wemyss of the ProSolution Private Office group joins Associate Editor, James K...
The 2026 Budget has introduced the biggest tax changes seen in decades: Every investor in Australia will be affected by the measures. Here's what you need to know...and what to do.
Will Hamilton of Hamilton Wealth Partners joins Associate Editor James Kirby in this episode
In today's show, we cover:
- The Capital Gains Tax changes:
- How negative gearing works from here
- Goodbye to the good old days for family trusts
- Self Man...
Australian investors have fully embraced Exchange Traded Funds. Now, as the gap between managed funds and index funds narrows, investors want to know what's next on the menu?
Daniel Shrimski, CEO of Vanguard Australia joins Associate Editor, James Kirby in this episode.
In today's show, we cover:
- The changing shape of ETFs
- Industry leaders warn on CGT changes
- Vanguard's ISA plan for Australia
- The ETF dilemma - Selling a st...
Investment property and high-dividend-paying shares are about to get a tax hit in the Budget: So, it's the perfect time to look wider for the active investor.
Jack Tossol of the Partners Wealth Group joins Associate Editor - Wealth, James Kirby, in this episode.
In today's show, we cover:
- The persistence of private equity
- How 'growth' shares get hit with planned CGT changes
- Are start-ups really disadvantaged in the tax sy...
Interest rate hikes are just not the same anymore: Once upon a time, they hit the mortgage belt, that fictionalised housing strip in the outer suburbs populated by young families. Today the RBA’s weapon of choice lands heavily instead on older Australians.
What does it mean for the property investor?
Nerida Conisbee, chief economist at Ray White Group, joins Associate Editor, James Kirby ...
The Iran crisis oil shock is creating winners and losers in the sharemarket, but it may not be playing out as you expect. Yes QANTAS is hit, but diesel-guzzlers BHP and Rio re big winners. How's that? And why is Wall Street streaking ahead of the ASX once more even though both markets are facing the same energy issues?
Business columnist Eric Johnson joins Associate Editor - Wealth, Jame...
Once you get on top of the basics, then investing should get a lot easier. But the hidden factors that make a difference between winning and losing inside the investment market - including the property market - often have more to do with bias.
Rasti Vaibhav of the Get RARE property group joins Associate Editor, James Kirby, in this episode.
In today's episode, we cover:
- The six signs you're a biased investor
- The specific issue...
The private credit boom is having a shake-out: But not before many Australian investors - and big super funds - placed a lot of money into what has been, until very recently, a boom business. What's on the line and where is the exposure?
Andy Darroch of Independent Financial Advice joins Associate Editor, James Kirby in this episode.
In today's show, we cover:
- The problems plaguing private credit
- How local wealth manager...
The upside of higher interest rates is that you might get more on your money in the bank. But it turns out that anyone who uses a 'bonus' account (which is where the banks offer the best rates) must satisfy the terms and conditions each month.And guess what? More than 40 per cent of savers in this category don't meet their T&Cs each month - that means they don't get the rate rise. With rates rising it’s time to get ...
You've only got a few months to go before the end of the financial year: It's time to plan your tax returns...and yes, this year - with soaring transport costs and changing super caps - it will be different.
'Mr Taxman' Dr Adrian Raftery author and tax adviser joins Associate Editor, James Kirby in this episode
In today's show, we cover:
- Don't miss the chance to claim your soaring transport costs
- How to optimise yo...
It was not supposed to happen this year: Vacancy rates were meant to rise in 2026 and income was expected to flatten…not at all. Property investors are suddenly grappling with a reshaped market where forecasts have been turned upside down.
Louis Christopher of SQM Research joins Associate Editor James Kirby in this episode.
In today’s episode, we cover:
- As you were! The upset trend of the year for property in...
SMAs are booming inside the financial advice sector: But if they are so terrific, then why is regulator ASIC asking so many probing questions around fees and conflicts of interest?
Nathan Fradley of Fradley Advice joins Associate Editor, James Kirby in this episode.
In today's show, we cover...
- The good, bad and potentially ugly side of the SMA boom
- Will SMSFs get a fair deal in the new Compo scheme of last resort
- R...
You can’t have a run of interest rate hikes and expect property to shoot out the lights. The chances are we are going to see a price slowdown in the major cities later this year…especially at the top end. But a string of factors point to serious resilience at the other end of the market.
Independent housing analyst, Eliza Owen, joins Associate Editor, James Kirby in this episode
In today’s show, we cover:
<...What are investors doing in reaction to the shocking turn in markets during the first three months of 2026?
One of the first moves is a distinct retreat from Wall Street back to the ASX, as investors seek mining and energy stocks along with blue chips that can deliver reliable dividends. It's early days but we are also seeing a pick-up in defensive investments such as infrastructure and a little less enthusiasm for gold.
Davi...
If you want to get advice from today's guest, Ben James of Escala Partners, you need to have at least $5m in your investment portfolio. In other words, his clients are strictly from the top end of town. So what have his clients been doing since the Iran crisis broke in February, and what is he telling them to do next?
Ben James, CEO of Escala Partners, joins Associate Editor, James Kirby in this episode
In today's show, we co...
Buyer's agents armed with rubber-stamp qualifications are herding investors into overpriced regional hot spots just in time for a looming wave of rate rises...it's an accident waiting to happen.
Veronica Morgan from Good Deeds Property Advisors joins Associate Editor, James Kirby in this episode.
In today's show, we cover
- A warning for investors buying outside their home markets
- The off-the-shelf buyer's agent quali...
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